Parts Required:

Performance Gain:

A sunroof that works and looks great

Complementary Modification:

Refurbish the headliner

This article is one in a series that have been released in conjunction with Wayne's new book, 101 Performance Projects for Your BMW 3 Series. The book contains 272 pages of full color projects detailing everything from performance mods to timing the camshafts. With more than 650+ full-color glossy photos accompanying extensive step-by-step procedures, this book is required reading in any 3 Series owner's collection. The book was released in August 2006, and is available for ordering now. See The Official Book Website for more details.

BMW sunroofs can be very confusing if you have never worked on one before. With so much of the mechanism hidden away, it's often difficult to figure out what is wrong with the roof. A certain hesitancy to disturb the headliner, combined with a lack of widespread knowledge about making repairs, has left many owners' sunroofs inoperable.

In reality, the sunroof is relatively easy to repair; what's harder is getting your hands on some of the items that need to be replaced. The sunroof motor drives two cables that move the roof forward and backward in a track, mounted to a fiberglass frame, mounted to the roof of the car. The primary problems with the sunroof involve the small track guide pieces breaking or the roof leaking. This project will go over the details associated with complete sunroof removal and renewal of these pieces.

Sunroof removal

The sunroof assembly (also called the "sunroof cassettes") can be removed as an entire unit, but you will need to lower and remove the fiberglass headliner piece first (see Project 72). You should remove the assembly if you already have the headliner out, and you are going to be making major repairs to the sunroof mechanism. However, if you are just trying to fix a small sunroof problem, and you don't want to remove the headliner, you may try just removing the top metal roof portion first, and then see if you can replace the broken parts with your sunroof cassette frame still installed in the car. (See Photo 1 for the metal panel removal instructions; also, BMW Tech Bulletin 54-12-100 is quite helpful if you have access to a copy.)

If you need more access and need to remove the entire assembly, then refer to Photo 2 for instructions. I recommend you grab yourself a helper, as it is easy to damage your interior trim if you try to remove the entire sunroof assembly yourself.

Sunroof repair

With the sunroof panel off of the car, or the sunroof assembly removed from the car, you can start to inspect the roof to determine which parts need replacing. In order to figure out what is wrong with your roof, slowly move the roof through its normal motion by manually turning the motor with a 4-millimeter hex socket (see Photo 6). You can open and close the roof frame manually, regardless of whether you chose to remove the entire assembly or not. Important: If you slide back your sunroof headliner piece when you go to remove the metal panel, you cannot open the roof all the way. Use caution when manually moving the roof open or closed.

There are many items on the sunroof that break, and even more that have been redesigned and superseded by BMW. I have highlighted in Photo 4 some of the components that break and need replacing most often. The basic process of repairing your sunroof involves removing it, inspecting the parts to see what is broken, cleaning the tracks, then reinstalling and adjusting the roof. See the remaining photos in this project for more details.

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Figure 1

This photo sequence shows how to remove the top metal sunroof panel from your car without taking out the entire assembly. A: With the sunroof closed, begin by tapping your sunroof switch just a little bit to have it drop down 2 to 4 millimeters and open slightly. With clean hands (or gloves), carefully slide back the headliner piece toward the back of the car (green arrow). It should require some moderate force to move it, but not the iron grip of death. Now close the sunroof. Important: Do not open the sunroof with the headliner piece pushed in the back; you could damage the mechanism. B: Unfasten the three large adjustment nuts in the rear of the sunroof. These will release the rear of the sunroof from the frame, allowing you to push up on the rear from the inside and raise the rear of the roof to give you more access to the front screws. When reinstalling the roof, these nuts adjust the height of the rear of the roof. C and D: Using a Torx driver, remove the attachment screws hidden in the inside of the frame (purple arrow). When these have been removed, you should be able to lift up on the entire metal roof panel and detach it from the car.

Figure 2

This photo sequence shows how to remove the entire sunroof assembly from the car. The first step is to completely remove the headliner (see Project 72). After you get the headliner out of the car, you will be able to see the fiberglass frame of the sunroof assembly, or cassette, which is attached to the roof of the car. A: Start by removing the center bolt that also helps attach the sunroof motor (green arrow). B: Next, disconnect the four rainwater drain tubes connected to the assembly at each of the four corners (red arrow). Then remove the perimeter Torx bolts (yellow arrows), leaving the bolts at the rear of the car in place. With all the front and side bolts removed, remove the rearmost bolts. These bolts are attached to a spring clip and allow for forward/rearward adjustment of the entire assembly when you reinstall it. Remove these rearmost bolts, and you should be able to drop the assembly down once it is free from the rearmost clips. C: Toss some towels or moving blankets over the tops of your seats to protect them from damage as you let the assembly down. There is a large tab in the front of the assembly that fits into a slot in the metal frame of the car--this will hold up the front part of the roof as you lower it. If you recline your seats all the way back, you should be able to maneuver the assembly out of the car. I managed to lower the assembly and remove it myself, but I was working on a project car and didn't care too much about the upholstery. I recommend you have the help of an assistant if you do not want the sunroof assembly to scratch your interior. D: This is what the entire assembly looks like after it has been removed from the car. To make the job easier, you can remove the metal panel from the assembly prior to removing it.

Figure 3

This photo shows the steps required to remove the sunroof headliner panel. A: The panel is held in place with Torx screws that must be removed in order to release the panel from the sunroof assembly (green arrow). B: The red arrow shows one of the plastic guide pieces for the headliner panel that has been completely bent and destroyed. This happens when the roof is opened with the headliner panel already pushed back toward the rear of the car. C: With all the screws removed, simply lift up and remove the headliner panel (blue arrow). D: As you can tell from this photo, the panel needed some serious attention. When you replace the headliner on the panel, be sure to use a relatively thin fabric, as the panel needs to easily slide in and out of the rearmost section of the sunroof assembly.

Figure 4

HereÃÂÃÂ's a collection of photos of various parts that can break inside your sunroof assembly. Every sunroof malfunction is differentÃÂÃÂ--you really need to just open up the assembly and see whatÃÂÃÂ's broken in there. Manually operate the sunroof by turning the motor (see Photo 6), and take a look at what is going wrong with the mechanism. With this sunroof, there were quite a few different items that were broken. A and B: This photo shows the metal lifting piece (yellow arrow) for the rear of the sunroof. When I removed this particular assembly from the car, this piece fell out (not a good sign). ItÃÂÃÂ's held in place with various plastic pieces that can become brittle and break. Inspect this piece carefully, and replace any broken support pieces. Also inspect the lifting cam/guide, which pushes this lever upward as the cable moves back (green arrow). C: The attachment point for the control rail on my sunroof was broken in two. Fortunately, this failure was fairly easy to spot, and replacement/repair kits are available for these pieces. Even with this breakage, the sunroof was surprisingly operational, using the opposite side rail to do all of the lifting work. D: On the opposite side from Frame B, the lever that attaches to the metal lifting piece (yellow arrow, Frame A) has been clearly bent and damaged. This is probably what led to the lifting piece falling out when I removed the assembly.

Figure 5

Before you reinstall your assembly, be sure to clean it thoroughly. Carefully clean out each of the tracks with isopropyl alcohol and cotton swabs. Also spread some white lithium grease on all of the tracks and moveable parts. Verify that all dirt and debris has been cleaned from the assembly before you reinstall it.

Figure 6

The sunroof motor has a built-in switch to stop the motor when the roof is completely closed, which prevents it from popping open at the rear. This completely closed position is called the ÃÂÃÂ"zero setting,ÃÂÃÂ" or ÃÂÃÂ"zero position.ÃÂÃÂ" If you need to remove the sunroof motor from the car, be aware that you need to reinstall the motor with its position set to the zero setting. Start by setting the sunroof panel and assembly at the fully closed position. For sunroof motors prior to mid-1994, the zero position on the sunroof motor is when the shaft center points of the motor, notch, and pin all line up (yellow arrow). For motors in cars manufactured from mid-1994, the zero setting is no longer visible to the naked eye. Instead, set the motor to the zero setting by plugging it in and pressing the switch until it stops by itself. When you have the motor electrically unplugged from the car, you can move it quite easily by placing a 4-millimeter hex socket into the back of the motor gear and turning it slowly (inset). This is useful for troubleshooting the assembly when it is out of the car, with the motor still attached.

Figure 7

When you remove the sunroof motor, you can see the cables that run inside the copper channels. These cables (called ÃÂÃÂ"Bowden cablesÃÂÃÂ" by BMW) can break as they get old. If you do have to replace the cables, get some long pipe cleaners and brush out the inside of the copper channels prior to installing the new ones. The gear of the motor meshes with the opening on the leftÃÂÃÂ--the right-side opening is not used. Install the motor only when itÃÂÃÂ's at zero position and the roof is completely closed (see Photo 6). I donÃÂÃÂ't recommend removing the motor unless you feel you really need to. The two sunroof cables are aligned with respect to each other, and you will have to verify that all of the lifting pieces are correctly aligned again before reinstalling the motor.

Followup from the Pelican Staff: You have a later motor. Zero setting is no longer visible to naked eye. Zero setting is the cutout position which can be reached in both directions of rotation (power-driven).
Only approach position on longer travel (hysteresis). You will have to power motor until the end stop is met. Then install at that limit of the sunroof, fully open or closed. Depending on where you stop motor.- Nick at Pelican Parts

Libra

Comments: I have 2 different types of motors, I have managed to source the one you featured on your article, but now my sunroof only goes up and down. It doesn't slide backwards. Thanks

November 16, 2016

Followup from the Pelican Staff: You will need to use the part number for your specific vehicle. I'd like to see the gear side, as shown in fig 6. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Libra

Comments: Hi There

How do I re-center the cable bowen, the motor was not set to zero position, BMW e36 1995 model, my motor looks different from the pictured one. Thanks

November 13, 2016

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Yours does not match the photo in step 6 or 7? Can you share a photo of the gears on your motor? - Nick at Pelican Parts

Libra

Comments: Hi There

How do I re-center the cable bowen, the motor was not set to zero position, Thanks

November 10, 2016

Followup from the Pelican Staff: On what year and model vehicle? - Nick at Pelican Parts

Laceyhorner

Comments: I really have no idea what I'm doing. But am attempting to fix our daughters sunroof on her 1998 328is. I did find a couple broken clips which I have already ordered but my real hang up is that there is a cable "missing". I have two cables on one side and only one on the other. Any clue as to where it could be? I also tried to remove the motor 3 bolts but can't seem to remove it. Any help is greatly appreciated!!

July 22, 2016

Followup from the Pelican Staff: It's possible the cable is jammed inside the cassette. My advice is to remove the entire cassette and work on it removed. You will be able to clean and adjust it better than in the vehicle.

I would grab a repair manual. It will have the procedure, special tools and torque specs.

Comments: Where do the cables actually hook to on my 1998 328i sunroof

June 17, 2016

Followup from the Pelican Staff: The control rails on in the guide tracks.

Give The Pelican Parts parts specialists a call at 1-888-280-7799. They can figure out what part or repair kit you need.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

salguod

Comments: I repaired the sunroof on my 318ti by replacing the broken LH lifting rail. It now works fine except that if I push the button to have it retract automatically it will stop about 3" from fully open. If I retract if further to full open it will no longer move to close. I have to tun it closed manually with an allen wrench and then it will work fine.

Someone suggested that I need to re-sync the motor even though I did not remove the motor as part of the repair. Does this sound right and if so, how do I sync the motor?

June 8, 2016

Followup from the Pelican Staff: You didn't mention what year the vehicle is.

I would try to center the motor. There should be marks on the gear and the motor body to help. Sunroof must be in closed position.

Up to mid-1994:
Turn motor/transmission into neutral position with help of emergency operator
Shaft center points, notch and pin must be aligned.

From mid-1994:
Zero setting is no longer visible to naked eye. Zero setting is the cutout position which can be reached in both directions of rotation (power-driven).
Only approach position on longer travel. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Bushwhacker Sam

Comments: I have a 1997 M3 sedan. The sunroof works great, but when trying to close, it hits the plastic piece that pops up. It's like the sunroof panel isn't pushing the rails down far enough to avoid hitting it. If I get out and push the piece down while closing it, it closes fine.

My other thought is that the sunroof is maybe 1mm to low. It doesn't quite sit flush with the roof when closed. Is there a way to adjust either of those? I have to take my headliner out to recover it soon, so I wanted to try and fix it all at the same time. Any suggestions would be helpful!

May 31, 2016

Followup from the Pelican Staff: This sounds more like something with the deflector is worn, or one of the guides. When it doesn't automatically lower, something is wrong with the plastic parts associated with it. I am gong to bet the guides are worn, or there is dirt in the track. - Nick at Pelican Parts

rjup

Comments: i have a 94 E36 325i have replaced the slides lift glides and other parts every thing works fine but the headliner panel will not retract when fully opened

April 5, 2016

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Check if the contact points on the sunshade are in the right position. If it closes fully but doesn't open, a piece may be missing from the shade or track. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Scooter

Comments: 2006 BMW X5 3.0, Pano Sunroof. The glass sunroof panels are uneven when closed. In the closed position, the entire back edge of the front glass panel is about 1/8Ã¢â‚¬Â higher than the entire front edge of the rear glass panel. The rear glass panel is flush with the metal roof; the front glass panel is slightly raised the entire length of the rear edge. It does not leak but the rattle is very bad. When I close the roof, it seems like the sunroof motor turns off just a moment too lateÃ¢â‚¬â€like it overshoots the closed position and turns off the moment the front panel starts to raise to the vent position. Nothing appears to be broken and all of the various open, vent, and sunshade positions work. After reading through your excellent forum, I think that the sunroof motor and the front glass panel are out of sync. I think that when the sunroof motor turns off after closing the sunroof and the sunshade that the sunroof motor is in the zero position. I think that if I manually adjust the roof panels so they are evenÃ¢â‚¬â€with the car turned off and the sunshade closedÃ¢â‚¬â€that I will have brought the sunroof motor into sync with the glass panels. But I know that when I think I know how to fix a BMW I am usually wrong. Any idea on why the glass panels do not align? Any advice on how to fix? Thanks.

February 7, 2016

Followup from the Pelican Staff: You likely need to remove the unit and rebuild it. The guides and tracks wear, BMW has developed a rebuild kit, which requires removing the sunroof cassette. Give our parts specialists a call at 1-888-280-7799. They can figure out what part or repair kit you need.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

Kamal

Comments: Kamal Comments: HI i have a e36 1998 316i and would like to know how to get the sunroof timing back into sync.
January 21, 2016
Followup from the Pelican Staff: If the sides are out of sync, something is likely faulty. You should remove the glass panel and inspect the tracks and guides. - Nick at Pelican Parts

hi i changed all the clips since a few were broken but now we are setting back up and trying to figure out how to get each side back in sync? Any ideas or ways to get such an accomplishment?

January 23, 2016

Followup from the Pelican Staff: With the motor removed, move the guides into place, then install the glass. be sure the glass it even and centered. Then install the motor. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Kamal

Comments: HI i have a e36 1998 316i and would like to know how to get the sunroof timing back into sync.

January 21, 2016

Followup from the Pelican Staff: If the sides are out of sync, something is likely faulty. You should remove the glass panel and inspect the tracks and guides. - Nick at Pelican Parts

smith

Comments: Hi Wayne, I have a 2007 X3, had panoramic sunroof open, has worked great til one day I heard a rattle then tried to close and second panel stayed inside back liner. they separated now front liner moves and stops at end roof line, vents properly only, glass will not slide back. I can not access second panel to see what happened, do I need to pull liner to get out, or can I remove the window first? thoughts, thanks for your time

January 2, 2016

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Usually the guides break. The sunroof cassette can be prepared, however, it has to be removed from the vehicle and requires special jig to rotate it as you work. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Ian

Comments: Hi, I hope you can help - I am replacing the headliner on an E38 1998 and the only job left is the trim on the slider cover . My question is do I have to remove the cassette to get this out to change the liner part or can it be removed another way? The headliner is out so I have good access to the cassette - any help greatly appreciated, all the best and Merry Christmas, Ian

December 18, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: You can remove the glass panel, then the shade can be removed. - Nick at Pelican Parts

BOSS1959

Comments: I have 92 E36 325i which I bought as a project car. The entire sunroof mechanisms were broke to include cables, its holder and motor. I am currently putting the sunroof assembly together for installation into the car.
1. I need to find out what is the initial location for the Bowden cable tabs and what do they connect too?

December 3, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: the cable ends attach to the slide / guides on each side. The motor is installed when the sunroof panel is in the position you can remove the fasteners for the panel. - Nick at Pelican Parts

slk57

Comments: I have 96 E36 328i which I bought as a project car. The entire sunroof mechanisms were broke to include cables, its holder and motor. I am currently putting the sunroof assembly together for installation into the car.
1. I need to find out what is the initial location for the Bowden cable tabs and what do they connect too?
2. The pivot piece for the lifting arms has tabs which contact the tracks and prevents the arm from pivoting. Should these tabs be filed to allow clearance for pivoting? Photo provides in not very clear, looked good on the camera.

November 19, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: I am drawing a blank on the alignment / stop. It has been a long time since I had one apart. Not many E36 models left around here. Check if you can find a photo here that illustrates what you need: http://www.101projects.com/BMW/Projects/078/pics.htm

I opened a post in our forums. A Pelican community member may be able to answer your question.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

Jack

Comments: I have a 1998 323is E36. My sunroof opens fine but is dead when I try and close it. The switch is good....replaced it and nothing happens. Any ideas?

Many thanks,

Jack

October 28, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Is the switch sending power and ground to the motor when pressed? - Nick at Pelican Parts

salguod

Comments: I just bought a 1996 318ti and the previous owner stopped using the sunroof because of a scraping sound and a scratch in the paint on the sunroof panel. Looking at the diagrams, it seems that most of the parts & mechanism is below the panel as it moves, do you know what might be in the way and scratching the roof?

October 22, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: I would assume the roof is aligned improperly and scraping on the body as it slides. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Christian, Sweden

Comments: Wien I try to open my sunroof the passenger side of the sunroof move down faster then the drives side. When I look at the mecanism IT seems that it's not aligned. Is it possible to remove the motor and manually move the cables to make them aligned?

October 20, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: You can try, but most likely something is worn. Inspect the cable and guides for wear. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Chris

Comments: I have an E36 and recently repaired the shuttle on it and when I close the sunroof it automatically starts to tilt in the back once it's closed. If I remember correctly, the sunroof should stop at the close position and then you have to press the button again to have it tilt. Any ideas?

Thanks.

September 13, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Did you initialize the sunroof? - Nick at Pelican Parts

Mickey

Comments: Hi Wayne. I replaced my motor and headliner on my 2006 BMW 325i. Sunroof now works, but it only moves about 1-2 inches at a time. I have to keep pushing the button to open or close about 10 times. What did I do wrong ?

September 12, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: The top needs to be initialized. Turn ignition ON. Press the raise sunroof switch until it raises, continue to hold the sunroof raise button for 15 seconds. Roof will try to raise again, once it does it is initialized. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Dylan

Comments: Is it possible to remove the sunroof headliner panel without removing the entire assembly?

July 31, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: You didn't mention what vehicle you have. But on most vehicles, no. - Nick at Pelican Parts

dave46

Comments: Hi, e46 328i I removed the glass and sunroof shade to lubricate tracks. I removed the glass in the closed position not the tilt position. when I putted back everything I completely opened the sunroof and not its stuck all the way back and only moving forward 1/4 of its way. I can also hear something cracking before its stops. Is my only way to see whats going on, to remove the entire assembly cassette?

July 17, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Yes, unless you can get the glass back out and inspect the guides and tracks. - Nick at Pelican Parts

georgegiak

Comments: I have a 325i 2004 and my sunroof moves 1 inch at a time. open and close. i can still move it to all positions by pressing button many times.

July 6, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Try to initialize it.

--Push the sunroof button in the up (tilt) direction and hold. After approximately 20 seconds the sunroof panel will make a small down-up movement. Release the button for no more than 5 seconds and push and hold it in the up (tilt) direction again.
--The roof will run through a full open and close cycle.
Once this cycle is completed, the initialization and adaptation is complete.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

AJR

Comments: 1994 e36 318is: the head liner on the inner panel fell off and I would like to put new material on. In addition, the panel now moves freely independent of the top panel. Is it possible to remove the inner panel after removing the top panel so I can repair and reline the inner panel or do I need to remove the whole cassette? Thank you in advance for your time and help. warmest regards, Al

June 23, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Yes, if I remember correctly, the top panel has to be removed, then the inner can be removed. Once you have it out, inspect the guides. If it isn't moving, one or two may be broken. - Nick at Pelican Parts

ally

Comments: hi Wayne, I have a 2000 BMW 328i I just got it & the sunroof will not close all the way and I had to manually close it and while doing that I noticed my screen was not there. [previous owner prob tried to fix it and didn't succeed and forgot] while opening makes a cracking noise and will open but stop 3/4 of the way and goes back. Would I have to remove the whole thing to figure out the problem because I've been to 15 diff shops in my area and no one deals with them.

June 18, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Yes, i would suggest removing the entire cassette to inspect the tracks and guides. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Peer

Comments: Hail broke my sunroof glass. How much does a new glass cost and I'm assuming that following these instructions i will be able to install it yea? Will I need to remove the cassette?

June 5, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Not sure on the pricing, our parts specialists will. You can replace the glass by unbolting and removing it, with the cassette installed.

Give our parts specialists a call at 1-888-280-7799. They can figure out what part or repair kit you need.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

Reluctant repair

Comments: I have a 2009 x3. My sunroof works perfectly, but I was told it has become brittle and the entire thing needs to be replaced at a cost of $3000-3500. I have decided to do it myself. Should I wait until it actually stops working correctly to replace it. If I go ahead, how do I determine which parts to replace? Finally, does that estimate seem way out of whack? Thanks.

May 27, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: There are rebuild kits for your roof, the cost for the kit (depending on what you need) and the time needed to install together create the higher cost of repair. If you think it is a high estimate, call around for a few competing quotes.

if you plan to perform the rebuild yourself, I would get the most complete kit available, unless you can diagnose the broken pieces before hand.

Give our parts specialists a call at 1-888-280-7799. They can figure out what part or repair kit you need.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

Mibble

Comments: 2001 330i passenger side moves front and back. driver side does not move, was crunching when I had opened sunroof. something feels loose on driver side slide not sunshade.

May 17, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Remove the glass and inspect the guides in the track. I would assume one is broken of jammed from the sound of it. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Eugene

Comments: 2013 X3 281. Sunroof flap will not close. Switch operates fine, however when the flap reaches its flat/ closed position, it jumps right up. Moreover, the sunroof cover only closes 80% of the way. Will not move beyond this limit. Please diagnose as best as possible based on my description of problems. Thanks.

May 12, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: If it is a panoramic sunroof, the tracks and guides may need rebuilding. Remove the sunroof glass and inspect the tracks. - Nick at Pelican Parts

M3 Brian

Comments: Hello, i opened my sunroof on my 2003 M3 on Saturday and when i tried to close it the inner fabric liner came off the track and the sunroof wouldn't close. It closes about 3 inches then the motor sounds like it hits something and opens all the way. It looks like the fabric liner "driver" piece might be stuck at the point where it doesn't allow it to pass and close all the way. Does that make sense? Any idea how to fix this so i can at least close the sunroof?

May 11, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: The sunroof shade guides may have failed. This is quite common and sounds like what you are describing. Remove the sunroof glass, then inspect the sunshade guides. You can replace them it broken with a repair kit. Give our parts specialists a call at 1-888-280-7799. They can figure out what part or repair kit you need.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

Maiiko2912

Comments: Is this article done on a one way or 2 way sunroof I am trying to see if this can be done on my '93 E36 318i which has a one way set up

April 28, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: What do you mean by "one way", "two way"? - Nick at Pelican Parts

Matt

Comments: Hello- 1986 325e, Yesterday I opened the sunroof and it opened all the way as normal. When I tried to close it only moved forward about 3-4 inches then stopped. It will move back but only forward a little way. I can hear the motor working and it sounds normal but its not functioning as normal. Thanks.

April 27, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Is it moving evenly or crooked? You could have a faulty drive motor or cable. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Kareemaliali

Comments: I have a 92 e36 and I need to know the wiring connections of the switch to the sunroof, thank you.

April 3, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: We don't currently have that tech article. If we get a chance to perform the procedure, we will be sure to document it.

Comments: I am near wrapping up a sunroof frame replacement on my e46 2003 330i. When I first placed the motor back into the frame I did not return the motor to the absolute closed setting and now I am having issues with the actual lifting guides for the glass not matching up when the motor shuts off. I almost feel like the cables on the inside are not matching up correctly and forcing one side to be higher than the other? although I think I just need to adjust the motor So, how do I go about syncing the motor cycle precisely enough in order to have both lifting guides matching up completely upon moving.. I have looked online for further explanation on how to adjust the motor but I am sort of lost.

April 1, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Try to manually move the sunroof into the closed position, then install the motor. See if that gets you synced up. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Cameron

Comments: Hello, I have an 02 e39 540i. I bought this car knowing that the sunroof did not work. Ive taken my car into multiple shops and they say they cannot really diagnose the problem without taking it apart.Therefore I cannot get a real quote on to what this thing is gonna cost to enjoy it and use it. The problem is, 1. the whole sunroof unit does not go back or tilt, no movement whatsoever. 2. the glass is floppy and whenever I go over bumps or roll my windows down at a high rate of speed it flaps and makes some noise. 3. the glass tilts downward on the driverside back corner. 4. It doesnt leak. unless going through a car wash. Any feedback is greatly appreciated!

March 31, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: The leak could be a plugged drain tube, that is if the sunroof sits flush with roof.

The plastic guides or the tracks could be damaged. That is a guess, as your best bet is to remove the glass and inspect the track and guides. Inspection is needed to determine the parts kit. - Nick at Pelican Parts

raa

Comments: Hi Wayne,
My sunroof of my 94 318is has a couple of issues. First, the back of the sunroof is not aligned, approx. 2mm lower. Second is when you close it, it won't automatically stop, the back will continue to go down as long as you press the button. Please advise. Thanks.

March 28, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Sounds like the guides are damaged or out of sync. I would remove the panel and inspect the tracks and guides. Look for broken plastic piece or damaged cables. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Charlie

Comments: Hello, I have a 2001 525i, and recently the sunroof stopped going back, if you hit the button it starts to go back but immediately stops, it looks like the glass is not going low enough to go under the roof. The sunroof still tilts as well. Any suggestions to what it could be?

March 27, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Sounds like the guides are binding. This could be due to dirt or debris in the tracks. Remove the sunroof panel and inspect the plastic pieces for damage. - Nick at Pelican Parts

AEM

Comments: Hi. I have an E30 M3. I am trying to remove just the sunroof headliner without removing the sunroof panel itself. I have been able to unsnap it but there are two arms attached to a bar in the rear side that doesn't allow me to take it apart. Is it possible to take these arms off the bar without having to remove the sunroof panel? If so, how is this done? Thanks

March 14, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Not that I am aware of. The sunroof panel has to be removed. - Nick at Pelican Parts

B

Comments: Hey Wayne here's one for you. I've got a 2003 530i and the moonroof will open and shut with no worries. When I try to vent however it makes a loud grinding noise. I tried to push the glass open by hand to remove the glass to inspect but the glass only rattles a little. When I used the manual tool from the trunk to open the glass it was clunking like it was skipping a gear. With the switch it worked fine again to open. No vent. Do I have a bad motor or is it possibly a worm gear in the cassette? Is there a way I can remove the glass to inspect the lifting arms?

March 14, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Sounds like you have either a faulty drive cable or broken track guide. You can remove the glass and inspect the cables, etc.
I would grab a repair manual. It will have the procedure, special tools and torque specs.

Is there any way to just replace the shade on the sunroof and not the glass?

My shade on the sunroof is coming apart on my BMW x3. only the front part the fabric is falling off of the shade.

March 12, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Yes. You will have to remove the glass panel, then remove the shade and replace it. - Nick at Pelican Parts

burnieboy

Comments: Hi there, I have a 2006 525d estate with the panoramic roof. Roof will go all the way back to open but will not close again unless you go through the full initialisation process. When you do go through this process everything seems to be okay mechanically but it does sound like it's straining a little when moving. Any advice would be appreciated. I have already sprayed the movables with white grease.

March 7, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Need to check faults in the SHD (Sunroof Module) and for communication faults in the other modules. My guess is that there will be initialization failure faults, and the sunroof module will need replacement and coding. IF however there are communication faults and timeout faults then the communication must be diagnosed first. If you try to hold the key in the lock or unlock position on the driver door lock tumbler, does the sunroof open and close normally? - Casey at Pelican Parts

Ed

Comments: I have a 1998 BMW 740il E38. Sunroof operates fine, but the shade is slightly broken. Normally the shade opens about 5 inches when the roof is tilted. One day I had the shade all the way back and the roof tilted up. Got back in the car and slid the shade closed forgetting that the roof was tilted. I heard plastic snap as it passed the point where the shade opens to when the roof is tilted. Now, the shade will not open when tilted, and I hear a plastic cracking noise when the roof is put all the way back. I took everything apart, but could not see anything broken or anything that controls the shade when the roof is tilted. Any ideas?

January 14, 2015

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Did you remove the glass and the sunshade? The track or guide for the shade are likely broken. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Mike

Comments: Hi I have an E53 X5, the sunroof operates normally except for the tilt/vent function. The sunroof tilt function doesn't tilt the sunroof open. It unlocks the sunroof and it can be pushed up, however the arm that holds the tilt up isn't locking/holding the tilt up.

November 26, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: This could be a broken guide or lever that lifts the sunroof glass. Remove the sunroof glass and inspect the tracks and guides. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Duane

Comments: How can you remove the e34 Touring panels of the sunroof is stuck closed and will Not open electrically or manually?

November 10, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: You don't have to remove the panels to close it. to manually open it, remove the panel near the front dome light, then crank it shut using the supplied tool. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Duane

Comments: How can you remove the panels of the sunroof is stuck closed and will Not open electrically or manually?

November 10, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: What vehicle are you working on? - Nick at Pelican Parts

Hans

Comments: I have a 94 318is, I was just wondering if it is possible to swap in a sunroof frame with the tilt feature into my car and still use the metal moonroof instead of the glass window?

November 1, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: I have no experience with this modification.

I opened a post in our forums. A Pelican community member may be able to answer your question.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

Mason

Comments: Pelican staff, I have a 1995 BMW 325i. The sunroof operates correctly front and back and tilt. I am having two problems though.

#1 The passenger side front corner does not sit flush with the roof when the sunroof is closed.

#2 When closed and at speed over 55 the entire front edge of the sunroof lifts unless I have it tilted open in the venting position.

I removed the metal sunroof portion and inspected the lifters and did not see any broken pieces.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you

September 26, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: YOu will have to adjust the height of the sunroof. Loosen the fasteners, then adjust until the front of panel sits slightly above roof, maybe 2mm. - Nick at Pelican Parts

papichulo

Comments: Hey Guys,

Does the entire cassette need to be removed in order to replace the headliner on the headliner panel? Mine on my panel is hanging and I want to fix it.

September 2, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: You didn't mention what type of vehicle you have. - Nick at Pelican Parts

John

Comments: I've got a 96 E36 328is 2door. At my body Shop they removed my sunroof to respray it but unfortunately ever since I've had it returned, it will not tilt all the way forward and it makes a terrible screeching noise when it goes back, almost in a forced manner. It worked fine and smoothly before but now it doesn't. I suspect that they manually cranked the cables with the motor removed and thus unsynced the motor and cables. I know the motor has a zero setting but is there anyway to determine at what position the cables are at. Is there a way for me to resynchronize these two things. I also suspect that it might be a broken slider. Any other thoughts that might be causing this noise? BTW I plan on replacing my sagging headliner soon myself and I considered an optimal time to remove the sunroof cassette and clean and re-lube it and replace any broken parts. Any advice is appreciated and thanks in advance.

September 1, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: You will have to remove the cassette, then remove the glass and place the cables and tracks in the same position, then attache the glass and motor. I would assume something is broken, it shouldn't go out of time for no reason.- Nick at Pelican Parts

Kie

Comments: I got a 2011 BMW 535i,my tail lights went out,and was repaired,after the repair my sunroof stop working. Could it be something simple, or I need to take it to the BMW dealer?

August 15, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: If the sunroof doesn't try to move when pressing the switch, it could be something like a fuse. If it tries to move it could be a problem with the guides or track in the sunroof. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Jai

Comments: Hi Hope you can help. I have a BMW x5 2006. When first bought the sunroof did move, a little 5-6inches, but not fully opening. Being winter not use/tested there after. Now this summer, it does not move at all, no motor noise, no grinding, nothing. Changed switch and do hear a click? but no movement. Now I was thinking of motor or wiring as prob. Can you suggest how to move forward in looking in to this.

August 10, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: You can check for a signal from the control / switch to the motor. It could be jammed, which is likely. The guides fail, requiring a rebuild. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Bobster

Comments: Are BMW Service centers really blowing smoke when they say a whole sunroof cassette needs to be replace? Seems to me from what I've read in the forum comments, there's a good chance that a simple repair can be made albeit time consuming. Does BMW just not want to repair cassettes, but sell you whole new ones, or is it really a cost savings to the customer consideration on their part, since their labor rates are pretty steep? My BMW center wants $1800 to replace a whole cassette on my 2005 X5. From some repair threads I've just seen, it seems like an easy task to remove the cassette and trouble shoot it yourself, before putting yourself at the mercy of a BMW Service Center? What gives here? Couldn't a cassette be bought cheaper from a auto salvage yard?

August 5, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: There is a rebuild kit for BMW panoramic sunroofs. Yours should be re-buidlable, unless it is damaged beyond repair. Try a different dealer or a local shop. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Joy

Comments: Just purchased a used 2007 X3 with a panoramic sunroof. The question I have is that there is only one panel of the sunshade inside - should there be two panels? The way it is either the front is covered or the back. It would seem that we could cover the complete sunroof. Is this the way it should be? If I need the shades replaced can they do that without replacing the complete sunroof unit?

July 29, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: There should be two. It may have been removed. It can be replaced by removing the glass panels. - Nick at Pelican Parts

stuartgto

Comments: I have a 1995 318ti and when you press the sunroof switch forward so the sunroof tilts open, nothing happens. Pressing the switch to move it back works fine. Suggestions? Also what is the best way to replace the liner on the sunroof? Thx

July 19, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: The glass has to be removed to replace the sun shade.

Working fine back and not venting, I would try re-initializing it. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Bret Talbot

Comments: I have a 2003 BMW 530i. I had one shop open the sunroof up, and tell me it needed a "sunroof repair kit" price of which was 498.87 with approx. 9 hours of labor. I got another estimate from another place which has not taken the sunroof apart, but wants to order the entire assembly for approx. $1,295. Entire slide kit, rails, clips etc. I did have the sunroof slider re-reupholstered. I saw that the clips were broken, but it must not be the entire glass sunroof cassette assembly if the other shop was using BMW oem parts, and only wanted $499. I found a used glass sunroof cassette assembly for just under $400, but it comes with no clips. I can't find the part number for them. Would you know the difference in parts from my above description and how/what the part numbers are for the four clips needed in the sunroof. Also, will I have to have the sunroof slider cloth cover part to keep the sun out re-done with a thinner material? Or is it possible to adjust the sunroof assembly to accommodate the thicker material? Any help would be greatly appreciated

July 17, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: DO not think adding thicker material can be done. as far as the repair kit questions go, give our parts specialists a call at 1-888-280-7799 and they can help figure out which part or repair kit you need.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

aviator

Comments: I have an '89 M3 E30 original owner. One of the front Torq bolts fell out. I'm trying to get it back in, but I cannot get the lining to slide back at all. I noticed 6 press clips secure the front, but unsecuring them doesn't help. My 1989 Chilton repair manual points to lid retainer clip location, but I can't make sense of the picture. It just can't be this hard. Suggestions welcomed.

July 16, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Is the liner stuck all the way forward? If it slides back part way, try pushing it up to access the fastener bore. Then install and tighten the fastener while holding the liner up. - Nick at Pelican Parts

lukiluciano

Comments: Hi,
I removed the sunroof of my bmw 316i e30.
Can I remove the guides of the sunroof without removing the upholstered of the interior. I hope you understood.
Thanks

July 15, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: I don't think so. You will have to remove the panel. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Peter

Comments: I have a 2007 X5 and the sunroof opens to the first stop but starts to move to the second stop and jams. Is there a was to clean the tracks of debris without pulling the headliner and cassette? I think leaves got into the tray as the sunroof worked perfectly out in Colorado and then acted up when moved to Maryland. Thanks

July 15, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: No, usually this is a faulty guide. There is a repair kit available. The sunroof has to be removed from the vehicle to be serviced. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Tiza

Comments: My 235 BMW 1994 Dolphin sunroof is moving back and front fine but not sliding up what is the problem?

July 8, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: The guide may be broken. Does it try to move up? Is there any noise? - Nick at Pelican Parts

Mtk

Comments: Can you please help me to find out E46 sunroofdrive cable? Thanks in Advance

July 4, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Give our parts specialists a call at 1-888-280-7799 and they can help figure out which part or repair kit you need.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

itcueman

Comments: I have a 1992 325is,when I press the button for either lifting or sliding, the only thing that moves is the panel with the liner. But it only moves 4-6 inches back, with a noise like something is skipping. It won't retract without my help. the metal top does not move at all. I want to repair or replace it, but don't know how to remove it, while it's closed. Thank you for any advise,

July 2, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: SLide the cover back, you should have access to the fasteners for the sliding roof panel. You will have to remove the fasteners and inspect the slides and track. I would guess one of the guides has failed. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Ness

Comments: I have just been quoted 4,000.00 from bmw dealer to fix my sunroof. When in tilt mode, only one side tilts up. They state I need the sunroof cassette. Does this mean I will never have a sunroof again? Because I don't have 4,000.00 for a sunroof of a 2005 x3.

June 26, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: If the new cassette cost is out reach, you won't have a functioning sunroof until it can be repaired. - Nick at Pelican Parts

nebbot

Comments: I solved it, i just had to slide the roof back a little, but thanks for your help jerry :

June 26, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Thanks for the follow up. We appreciate it.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

jerry

Comments: now for my issue, i am looking for small plastic holders showing on figure 4 picture b any help would be appreciated!
more detailed view.

June 26, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: We should be able to get those for you. Give our parts specialists a call at 1-888-280-7799. - Nick at Pelican Parts

jerry

Comments: nebbot are the torx screws are from both sides?
if they are there is nothing more that hold it in its place, forgot to mention there is also small build in peaks next to torx holes that help torx to stay in position, just lift the sunroof from back side and they should come off from pretty easy.

June 26, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Thanks for the input on this one. We appreciate the help.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

nebbot

Comments: I am trying to remove the top metal panel on my e36 But theres no way that Its Getting Off! I have removed the Three large nuts in the back, and the 2 torx in the front, But still Its stuck in the front. Any idea? Have i missed something? Im able to lift It maybe 5mm in the front, Thats It.

June 26, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Slide the unit backward until it clears, then remove it. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Marcho

Comments: Hi, the sunroof in my car works fine, but I figure it should need some kind of lubing especially in my dry climate before it fails. Can this be done without disassembling? What would be the right product? It's a 95 E36, 4 door. Thanks!

June 16, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: A graphite based lubricant works well. Give our parts specialists a call at 1-888-280-7799 and they can help figure out which part or repair kit you need.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

Marcho

Comments: Hi, the sunroof in my car works fine, but I figure it should need some kind of lubing especially in my dry climate before it fails. Can this be done without disassembling? What would be the right product? Thanks!

June 16, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: A graphite based lubricant works well. Give our parts specialists a call at 1-888-280-7799 and they can help figure out which part or repair kit you need. - Nick at Pelican Parts

richard

Comments: i will like to install an sunroof from an e36 318i to my 316i e36. do i need to cut out the roof bow..or anything like that or can i just make a template and cut out the roof.

June 13, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: I have not done this procedure, so I can't comment I opened a post in our forums. A Pelican community member may be able to answer your question.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

Gus

Comments: 04 BMW 325. Sunroof open and closes but will not learn limits. If you hold open or close to long it starts grinding.Any help

June 10, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: One of the switches might be faulty. I would start by checking the vehicle for fault codes. If the system is not working properly, a fault code will be set. This will be your best bet when diagnosing.
You can also view switch positions using the scan tool. - Nick at Pelican Parts

melissa

Comments: Have a 2005 bmw x3 the inside liner is separating. the front piece moves how it should but isn't grabbing the back piece to pull it forward. the glass is working fine. any ideas

June 1, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: One of the plastic guides may have failed. This could be a part on the shade or the track. I suggest pulling the glass out and inspecting the plastic guides. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Jas

Comments: On my 2000 BMW 528i E39, my sun roof doesn't work fully close when it's boiling hot Arizona's 120 degree summers. The cause seems to be when the black wind shield pops up but doesn't go down. I have to manually press the wind shield down usually with something thin in a pinch my comb, since I like my fingers.

Does this need a repair or is this a flaw in the design?

May 26, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: It sounds like worn guides. You can try applying a graphite lube to the tracks. - Nick at Pelican Parts

prince

Comments: Hi can you tell me where can I find a place that put a glass sunroof I have a BMW E30 I don't like this original sunroof oh its I live in krugersdorp

May 24, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: I am not familiar with you area, I opened a post in our forums. A Pelican community member may be able to answer your question.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

SC

Comments: Hi, I have a 2007 X3. Do you know where I can get a replacement sunroof motor cover? Everything works fine, but the cover fell off, apparently due to broken plastic clasps that are required to hold it in place.

May 22, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: If I remember correctly, you can replace the drive unit. Give our parts specialists a call at 1-888-280-7799 and they can help figure out which part or repair kit you need.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

Jess

Comments: Hi my Bmw x3 2006 rear sunroof doesnt close i was told the cable broke and that i would need to buy the whole sunroof. Is there a way to fix it without buying the whole sunroof?

May 22, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Yes, there is a rebuild kit for the panoramic sunroof. You have to remove the headliner and the sunroof module to rebuild it. Give our parts specialists a call at 1-888-280-7799 and they can help figure out which part or repair kit you need.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

Adrian

Comments: Hi, I believe the sunshade on my 2002 BMW 325iT is causing problems, but it is currently stuck completely open. Following the tear down procedure in this guide, how do I remove the glass if it is retracted?

Thanks.

May 7, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: If you cannot move the glass forward, you cannot remove it without removing the entire sunroof. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Gavyn

Comments: I have an 86 325ES e30 that seems to have a pretty serious issue with the sunroof.. When trying to lift for vent, the panel will not lift unless you push it up at the same time, but will then stay up. Trying to roll it back into the roof is another story.. The passenger side will go down but the drivers side will not move. the Headliner panel will also not slide back at all on its own. Any ideas what my issue could be?

April 29, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: SOunds like a guide or part of the track is faulty. I would remove the sunroof panel and inspect the guides. replace what is broken. - Nick at Pelican Parts

McTsepo

Comments: Greetings, I have an Audi A1 with a panoramic roof. Problem is dat it is stuck on vent position, it looks like da Right hand side of da roof is stuck.
Please Help, How can i DIY?!! da problem started a day ago.

April 29, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Panoramic sunroofs should be removed from the vehicle. I believe there is a rebuild kit for you roof. Give our parts specialists a call at 1-888-280-7799 and they can help figure out which part or repair kit you need.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

Sisyphus74

Comments: Hello...I have a problem with the sunroof on my 1998 318ti. I had noticed that when in the popped up position, the right side was higher than the left side....then today I went open the sunroof and it made some strange noises...when I went to close it...it again made some strange noises and now the right side is flush with the top of the car where it should be, but the left side is pulled down much lower below the top of the car.

Any help would be appreciated

April 28, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: The guides may be jamming, causing the drive to slip. This will result in uneven operation. I would remove the sunroof panel and inspect the drive and guide components. - Nick at Pelican Parts

J Kieft

Comments: Can you tell me where I can find the headliner removal guide project 72? Thanks

Comments: BMW x3 2005: The right side of the moon-roof glass is loose. It makes a rattle noise when close. When the vent is open there's no sound. No leaks and in general the moon-roof is in perfect condition with the exception that the rear vent does not open at all. Took it to the dealership and this is the summary of what it needs to be done: Task:
Observations: FOUND SUNROOF GLASS LOOSE
ADJUST SUNROOF AND REPLACE SUNROOF SEAL TO START
Other $366.49
Task:
Observations: WHILE GETTING READY TO REPLACE THE SUNROOF SEAL AND ADJUST FOUND THERE WERE PEACES OF THE SUNROOF CASSETTE SLIDES TO BE DAMAGED .
REMOVE THE SUNROOF CASSETTE AND REBUILD THE CASSETTE .
Other $2,456.90. Can I buy the broken parts and DIY without messing up with the headliner? What part do I need to order? What tools I need? Thanks.

April 4, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: The slides should be available. My suggestion is to remove the sunroof from your vehicle, then inspect the damaged parts. This way you will ave everything you need when reassembling. Give our parts specialists a call at 1-888-280-7799 and they can help figure out which part or repair kit you need.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

stingray230sx

Comments: I JUST ORDERED #54138218001 [circular,sunroof cover gasket]
I didn't see anything about just removing the glass and replacing the gasket? can you help me with this? I know how to remove the glass, is it going to be difficult to replace this gasket around its edge? thanks

Doug Hunt

March 30, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: If I remember correctly it pulls out. we don;t have a tech article for that procedure right now. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Jay R

Comments: At one point the sunroof was working perfect without signs of going out, when one day it was opened half way, and when I went to close it the sunroof would not move, but the motor appeared to be working. It sounded like something was stripped, because the hex head in the middle of the motor was spinning, but no movement from the sunroof. Is this an issue with only the motor? Can I swap it out, or do I need new guides and so forth?

March 21, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: You will have to remove the glass and inspect the guides to see if the are damaged. The gear on the motor may have failed, but that is the least likely. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Comments: I opened my sunroof all the way and then disconnected the battery to do some work on my passengers side window regulator. When I hooked the battery back up and hit the sunroof button to close it, the one touch auto close function wasn't working. It still went forward by holding the button pressed forward, but it kept going after fully closing and opened into the venting position. From there it won't do anything else when the button is pressed in any way. The motor makes sound when pressing backwards on the button like it wants to pull but can't. I'm not sure if having the battery pulled had anything to do with it or if the switch could suddenly have gone out or what. Any idea what I could need to fix it?

March 20, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: I would try to initialize the sunroof. This procedure is similar to your vehicle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9AAks_lBlc - Nick at Pelican Parts

Daniel

Comments: I just finished fixing my electric sunroof in a '90 bmw e30. Everything is aligned properly and the only problem now is that i can't find my motor's zero position. I unscrewed the screw so that the assembly doesn't move and tried operating the motor for quite some time tried both directions but it doesn't seem to find the zero position

March 18, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: See this info from step 9:

The sunroof motor has a built-in switch to stop the motor when the roof is completely closed, which prevents it from popping open at the rear. This completely closed position is called the “zero setting,” or “zero position.” If you need to remove the sunroof motor from the car, be aware that you need to reinstall the motor with its position set to the zero setting. Start by setting the sunroof panel and assembly at the fully closed position. For sunroof motors prior to mid-1994, the zero position on the sunroof motor is when the shaft center points of the motor, notch, and pin all line up (yellow arrow). For motors in cars manufactured from mid-1994, the zero setting is no longer visible to the naked eye. Instead, set the motor to the zero setting by plugging it in and pressing the switch until it stops by itself. When you have the motor electrically unplugged from the car, you can move it quite easily by placing a 4-millimeter hex socket into the back of the motor gear and turning it slowly (inset). This is useful for troubleshooting the assembly when it is out of the car, with the motor still attached. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Leach

Comments: Hi, looking at your article and is very interesting I have a e91 panoramic sun roof and the other day one side of the rear glass. Will not closefrom tilting from maluely operating the sun roof all other functions seem to be ok. And it will close if I push the slider back with a screwdriver. So am I right to think it's the drive cable? As it will open but not close?

March 17, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: You likely have a broken track or guide. There are repair kits for the pano sunroofs. You will have to remove the cassette and rebuild it. I would suggest having a pro do it if possible. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Jerad

Comments: How different is this process for an E46, 2003 325i? The motor makes a grinding noise and the glass will barely budge when I push the switch to open/close/tilt, and the passenger side will not fall completely into place, leaving a small open gap. The sunshade will only slide back about 3 inches and stops. It seems to be completely off-track, so I'm sure the clips are broken. I'm guessing I will have to break and replace the sunshade to remove it and the glass since I can't slide it back?

March 6, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: It's different enough where I would recommend getting a repair manual. If the shade is stuck, there isn't much you can do. You can try to force it back enough to access the fasteners for the glass. if you can get to them, remove the glass. You will be able to inspect the track and shade guides to see what has failed. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Michael

Comments: My sunroof won't close all the way bmw 328i sedan. A mechanic said It might be stuck because of misalignment. Is the anything you can do? I read I'm not supposed to try to take it off while it is open but it's stuck that way

March 4, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: If it is stuck crooked, the cables or track guides may have failed. You are going to have to remove the glass and inspect the components to see what requires replacement. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Bret Talbot

Comments: Thanks for your response. I do know that a couple 2 or 3 of the plastic clips are broken I'm not sure if the slide rails are broken though. It does sort of move to the up position but will not slide back at all. I'll know more later this week and hopefully these pieces will have part numbers on them and I can see if you have them. :

March 3, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Thanks for the follow up. - Nick at Pelican Parts

bret talbot

Comments: I have a bmw 2003 530I. THe motor sounds like it is trying to open and close the sunroofmoonroof but it doesn't do anything. I had one shop who had it opened and several of the plastic clips on each side were broken. The told me that I needed to replace the entire cartridge assembly over $600 and 10 hours of labor? I'm not a mechanic, but I don't want to get ripped of either. He said, "it's just best to replace everything to the tune of almost $2,0000. I have found another mechanic who I trust who doesn't really like working with sunroofs, but has agreed to look at it for me and tell me what it needs and how much. It took the first shop less than 45 mins to take the assembly apart and put it back together. My "cool" mechanic foreign car repair of Delray beach, fl says he thinks it might be around $600 but it not sure he'll be able to source the parts from the us. he said he's not sure do you guys sell all parts related to a 2003 530i sunroof assembly? Maybe if he tells me what needs to be replaced, I can order them from you. What would you think the max number of repair hours should be for a job like this? Please help !! Bret p.s. I wish I would've taken some pictures when they took it apart. None of the links to the pix on this page work.

March 1, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Total time of repair will vary depending on what is broken, and you did not specify what is. It takes a good part of the day to remove the sunroof assembly from the vehicle. Give our parts specialists a call at 1-888-280-7799. They can help you find the right part.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

Kevin

Comments: Yes Nick, the roof actually rises very slightly but it it making strange noises,sounds like it is struggling. It makes a fairly loud noise when i lower it to the closed position. What's involved to hopefully remedy this problem? Thanks Kevin.

February 28, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: You're going to want to remove the sunshade and glass. Then inspect the glass tracks and guides. I would assume one of the two items are damaged. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Kevin

Comments: My 1992 BMW318i's sunroof won't 'pop up' at the back. It slides open and closed ok. The inner roof slides back ok but the outer lid won't raise. Any clues?

February 26, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Does it make any sounds when you try to move it into the vent position? It could be a faulty cable drive or track guide. - Nick at Pelican Parts

GeorgiaBMW

Comments: What steps are necessary to remove the panel to replace the fabric? Should the metal portion be removed prior to extracting the cassett? How do you slide the metal portion back if you already have the cassett out of the car?

February 13, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Not sure what vehicle you have. If the cassette is out of the car. Remove the glass, then remove the screws for the shade guides, then remove the shade. You can service it once removed. - Nick at Pelican Parts

mike

Comments: I just ordered and received a new seal for my sunroof e21. It was 30 inches too short. Looking on your website is says it is 1650 mm. It would of been nice to specify you would need two packs to complete the job so you don't end up with a Frankenstein sunroof seal job.

February 2, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Give our parts specialists a call at 1-888-280-7799. They can help you sort out the issue with the part.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

Lovemysunroof

Comments: I have a 2006 BMW X5 and like one of the posts above, the back headliner on on my panoramic sunroof is off the track. I have been told that there is likely some damage to the track and one of the dog ears on a part and that there is no way to fix it other than disabling the motor and removing the headliner, as there are no parts or kits available to repair it. Seeing as I thought you alluded to parts being available, I wanted to confirm if the information I received is true. If there are parts and an inexpensive relatively way to repair it, I would be greatly interested. Thank you!

January 8, 2014

Followup from the Pelican Staff: There are repair and rebuild kits for the panoramic sunroofs. It is quite a daunting task, sometimes best left to the pros. If you want to price the parts, give our parts specialists a call: 888-280-7799. They can help you find the kit. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Helpless

Comments: I have a 2002 BMW 525i and the sunroof doesn't open properly after my daughter leaned on it while it was open when washing the car. Is it off a track or something? Easy to repair?

December 27, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: One of the plastic piece in the cassette may have been damaged. I would remove the sunroof glass and inspect the tracks and slides for damamge. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Gay man with a slow girl cousin

Comments: Hi Wayne! I have a 2009 BMW x3. I was moving, and packed my car to the top. I was trying to fit one more bag and i my hand slipped and pushed my sunroof shade up making a pop sound. i assumed the worse thing would be the shade is off track. WELL, my cousin who is as bright as a brown crayon, opens the entire roof causing the shade to make ungodly noises while retracting. the glass opens and closes fine but the shade i'm sure is done, R.I.P. My question is can i just get the shade replaced or do i need to replace the entire sunroof & shade? BMW dealership in houston tx said $4000 but they are just as smart as my crayon cousin. Bless her heart! PLease any advice will help and i'm still doing my research while waiting for your reply. Thank you!

December 13, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: The shade in repairable without replacing the entire sunroof. You can but the small parts and the shade. Give our parts specialists a call at 1-888-280-7799 and they can help figure out which part or repair kit you need.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

steve

Comments: HI Wayne,

Thanks in advance for your answer. I have a broken rear main slider 2002 BMW 5 series. DO I need to remove the headliner to replace it?

December 9, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Likely, yes. Can you share a photo of the broken part? - Nick at Pelican Parts

Greg

Comments: Hi,
I have a BMW X3 and whenever I go over bumps in the road there is a clicking noise like plastic hitting glass coming from the panoramic sunroof. I have mentioned this to my dealer many times 4-5 times and their remedy is to put some felt tape at a contact point between the glass and plastic. That solution only lasts a couple days before the noise is back. It is particularly more apparent during the winter. Have you seen this issue, and is there a better fix for this?

December 7, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: The only fix other than the tape is replacing the sunroof cassette. Have to tried using a thicker felt, something like a floor protector for furniture. Put both sunroofs into the vent position. Place three felt pads on the under side of the glass along the rear most edge. One on each side and one in the middle. - Nick at Pelican Parts

ST

Comments: I have a 2008 328 and my sunroof all of a sudden does not function. It will raise up but won't slide back and forth and it is stuck right now in a position where an inch is still open and I am covering the opening with tape so rain won't get in. What is the problem and how much will this cost to fix? Should I go to a BMW mechanic who will prob charge me more or can I go to a decent mechanic who works on electrical stuff? Thanks!

November 25, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: I would have to disassemble to tell you exactly what is wrong. Without being able to do that, I can offer some advice. Check if the motor is turning, if it is and the sunroof isn't, a track can be broken. If you plan to have ti repaired by a pro, go to a BMW mechanic. They will have experience with this issue and this will save you money in the long run. Otherwise you are paying for someone to learn while they repair your vehicle. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Val

Comments: I just recived a 1986 325i "convertible" bmw. It does not have a headliner. In a heavy rain it has a small drip. If I put a headliner in will the drip stop?

November 22, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: No the headliner only covers the inside of the convertable linkages. You have a problem with a header seal or windown seals. You may have to make adjustment to the new top. - Kerry at Pelican Parts

D lo

Comments: I have a 2002 325 ci BMW that the sunroof when closing stops when it starts to pull the shade on it . I can close it by holding down the switch . But as of late it is slowing down . I feel it is the extra weight of the shade. Can I lubericate the rails to fixes it

November 16, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: You can try a graphite grease that is specialty formulated for sunroof tracks. If it is binding, I would look to see if there is a broken or worn part. Check the tracks and guides. - Nick at Pelican Parts

D lo

Comments: How do I clean the sunroof drains on my 2002 325 ci BMW

November 16, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: You have to remove the A and C pillar trim panels. Then disconnect the drain tubes from the sunroof pan, then clean them out. You can use air it if is at a very low pressure. - Nick at Pelican Parts

D lo

Comments: How do I clean drains on the sunroof of my 2002 BMW 325 ci

November 16, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: You have to remove the A and C pillar trim panels. Then disconnect the drain tubes from the sunroof pan, then clean them out. You can use air it if is at a very low pressure. - Nick at Pelican Parts

dandoe

Comments: Hi, I have a 03 325i. The sunroof won't open or close. The motor tries to do something, but the glass is now lop sided in the track. How do I re-level it? Oh and the cover is now stuck in the headliner.

October 27, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: It sounds like there are broken parts to the drive for the glass, I would remove the glass. There will be six bolts, then remove the sunshade, four more small screws, then take a look and see what you can see. Be prepared to remove the sunroof cassette for repair if needed.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

beemerboy.com

Comments: Hey can you guys tell me is there any bmw series or model that's sunroofs is the same to a bmw e30 please?..

October 9, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: The sunroof will only work in a e30
- Nick at Pelican Parts

Mark F

Comments: Sunroof Headliner Panel Install Tip: Once you removed/repaired the broken clips or reupholstered the sunroof panel, you put the sunroof in tilt mood. Then slide the panel with the fork clips forward, sliding the panel into the channels along the guide. Look for the rear clips and slowly push the panel until the rear clips are sliding into the pins of the sunroof. If successful, the rear clips will hold the panel up against the sunroof and you will hear a click from the front clips. Slowly test then retracting the tilt and opening the sunroof. Good luck.

September 13, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Thanks for the additional Info. We appreciate it.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

jsean

Comments: I bought a 1993 525i sedan.. Sunroof does not open just about an inch and stops... Was wondering if the inner part is manual or does it work off the switch.. The switch has one button . You can push it in or move forward or back.. Was wondering what the functions of it are?

September 9, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Push the button up for vent, and forward or backwards to open and close.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

lmc

Comments: where can I get a replacement rubber seal for the sunroof of bmw 5 series f reg please.

September 7, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Give our parts specialists a call at 1-888-280-7799. They can help you find the right part.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

Ryan

Comments: I have a 2003 325i and I went to open my sunroof and the cover came off the track. When this happened it jammed the glass and got stuck open. When I tried to close it nothing happened. Now could the problem be that the motor went out? And how would I go about replacing that?

August 17, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: The plastic clips for the sunshade are broken and stuck in the tracks, remove the glass and remove the broken plastic, after reassembly hold the sunroof button in the vent position for about 90 sec the sunroof will open and close and initialize itself.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

Crazy Lyle

Comments: my son has a 1995 318i his whole sunroof came off while he was driving. we have a parts car but all of the plastic parts inside of the sunroof are broken. how do I get the old parts out of the track and install new ones? do you sell a kit with all the plastic parts included?

August 15, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: i>- Nick at Pelican Parts

nkazie

Comments: i drive a bmw x5 2011 model. the sunroof closes halfway, makes a big bang and returns to the back. this is the inside part. bmw wants 45k to replace it. please help me as i don't have this kind of cash.

August 14, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: The panoramic sunroof on that x5 has a lot of small plastic moving parts, they are known to have problems and the whole sunroof usually needs to be replaced.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

MAD

Comments: Hello, My sunroof will open up about 2 inches by itself when I am driving. It only does this when it is hot outside.

August 11, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Check the sunroof switch to make sure it is not shorting out or has gotten water damaged.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

cdweeks

Comments: Hey I have a 1998 328i and i just pulled the sunroof cables out from the copper pipes to clean and realign them. Could you tell me how the cables should be installed? I noticed that one cable is shorter than the other and I am stumped about how they should go in.

August 7, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: If I remember correctly, the inner cable is shorter. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Wayne

Comments: Hello my sunroof will not open at all for me to slide the intreior panel back. How else can i fix the sunroof? Thanks.

July 22, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Not sure what type of vehicle you have. You can try manually cranking the sunroof back via the motor drive. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Robert

Comments: Hi guys, do you sell parts for repairing the sunroof mechanisms? thanks in advance

July 19, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Give our parts specialists a call at 1-888-280-7799 and they can help figure out which part or repair kit you need.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

munk

Comments: My sunroof open when put power on in car but does not close. On my 318i touring 97 plate. Dont know if it the switch. Or something else........?....

July 14, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Sounds to me like it is probably the switch - Nick at Pelican Parts

Richard

Comments: Hi Wayne,
I have a prob with sunroof on my n reg series 3 118IS,
the rear n/s corner of the seal has twisted down so so stopping the roof from sliding open.Do I need a new seal,can i fix it , what parts do I need and how much?Cheers.

June 24, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: I would suggest replacing the seal. Give our parts specialists a call at 1-888-280-7799. They can help you find the right part.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

Donny

Comments: Just bought a 2006 BMW X5 and noticed the day I got it that the sunshade doesn't close all the way, leaving about two inches of space. The only way it will fully close is if it goes into vent mode. Why is this happening, seems odd. Thanks

June 19, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: The sun shade guides may be worn of broken. If they are making contact further back than they should, the shade will not close all the way. When it is fully open, check that is stops at the correct location. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Tim

Comments: Hello I am having a Moonroof issue, it's a 1998 E36 M3 that when try to open it the interior pc moves about halfway and stop and one cable housings on each side will start to push towards the front of the car exposing the cable and it will start binding it's self up if you keep running the motor.

any help would be great.
Thanks.

June 16, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Sounds to me like something is jamming it in the rail area. You will want to remove the sun shade and glass to inspect the tracks and drive. Look for broken plastic pieces or signs of damage. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Mikki

Comments: I have a 2006 VW Beetle and my sunroof will not close all the way, it bounces back open. How much will a repair cost me in a shop?

June 11, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Sounds like the sunroof is binding. I couldn't guess at the cost of a repair. I would take it to your local VW workshop and ask for an estimate. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Sophia

Comments: I have a BMW X3 with a Sunroof. There is a problem with the water draining from the sunroof. It drips in the back down the sides into the back of the SUV. The carpet is wet on both back sides with the driver side in the back being the wet the most. How much will it cost to get the drain tubs cleared or replaced? Is their a recall on this problem?

June 6, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: I cannot guess at a price. I would have a local shop look at it and give you an estimate. If the tubes are connected to the sunroof and the drains are only clogged, it shouldn't be that big of an problem to remedy. - Nick at Pelican Parts

BBates

Comments: I recently purchased a 2003 bmw 325i my first BMW and i when i put the sunroof up it doesnt want to close all the way down it just makes sort of a clicking noise any idea what that could be

May 19, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: The clicking could be the cables skipping or the cassette jamming. I would inspect the rails and check that they are clean and free of debris. If nothing visible is causing it to bind, the tracks or cassette may need replacement. - Nick at Pelican Parts

hellrotbmw

Comments: Is it possible to remove the headliner piece without dropping the entire sunroof assembly?

April 17, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: you have to remove the sunroof glass or metal panel, then the trim panel can be removed. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Hunter

Comments: Hey I have a 1989 325ix with a manual sunroof. I recently replaced the cables because the old guides had begun to crack in half and the sunroof was crooked with the panel being lower on the driver side than the passenger side. I had the cables perfectly aligned with both sides raising to the same height but it seems after just opening the sunroof and closing it a couple of times it has begun to do the same thing as before though not as noticable. Could the manual gearbox have broken teeth or something?? causing it pull the cables at a different rate messing up the alignment? I am 100% stumped at this point and would greatly appreciate some help ASAP.

April 14, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: You could have a number of problems. The cassette could be bent, there could be dirt or debris binding the cable, or the gear could be worn. - Nick at Pelican Parts

will

Comments: hi Wayne I have an e36 m3 I recently did an overhaul on my sunroof but have a question. I can't get the fabric tray to go all the way back is this because of the plastic piece with the foot on it? where does it go in relation to the sliding tab on the inner cable thanks

April 10, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Are you able to bolt it in or does it not slide far enough back? Could you share a phot of what part of the shade you are referring to? - Nick at Pelican Parts

desmond

Comments: hi wayne i have a bmw 320i auto box type it just hid 3tabperts to pieces n 2 valves wat can it be n were do i start thanks.desmond

April 8, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Sorry, I am not sure what you are asking. Could you describe the problem? - Nick at Pelican Parts

Lourens

Comments: Hi, thx for the pics above. It was a gr8 help to replace my headliner. If put everything back as it came out. But after assembling everything. The inner headliner didn't want to slide with the roof. So I pushed it forward an backwards and no it opens with the roof. The only problem I have is when I slide the roof close, and pop it up it doesn't automatically slide the inner liner slightly open how it used to. It would be a gr8 help iff yo maybe know how to solve this.

January 7, 2013

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Sounds like the shade is not orientated correctly or the shade is damaged. Check the see if the stop on the sunroof is pushing past the shade without grabbing it to slide it forward. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Give our parts specialists a call. They will be able to help you find the parts for your sunroof: 1-888-280-7799 - Nick at Pelican Parts

Kaizer

Comments: Hi Wayne.My BMW 323i 1998 has problem of leaking water inside,the sunroofsealer is worn.So what i want to know; is there any trianage holes that could be blocked or what because water comes through closer to the roofs control switch then fall straight to the gear liver area. But the roof itself is still working properly unless the dust i noticed on the rail. So how can i solf this problem?

November 7, 2012

Followup from the Pelican Staff: There are drains at each corner of the cassette, you can try to clear them out with a long blower nozzle. I would look to make sure the plastic is not cracked where you are seeing the water come through.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

savagegroomer

Comments: I have a 1995 bmw 325i the back of the sunroof has popped up over the top of the car. my husband is a mechanic here in plainview texas and has never encountered this issue before. we are unsure of what to do to remedy this problem. do you have any suggestions?

October 29, 2012

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Sounds like it was stuck in the vent position when it continued to open. I would remove the glass and inspect the top guides and cables. I would assume there is a broken one. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Nicole

Comments: I have a 1994 325i with the electric sunroof. When I push the button that tilt lifts the roof it will work, but the roof will not work the other direction at allfull pull back. I am assuming this is not the motor since the roof will still open the -zero direction. How would you approach this issue? I am considering changing it into a manual open, but am not sure this will fix the problem.

October 1, 2012

Followup from the Pelican Staff: I would remove the glass and inspect the tracks and guides. There may be an issue where the top jams once you attempt to open it. Have you tried to manually open and close the top? If there is an issue with jamming, it will be present when manually opening it oo.- Nick at Pelican Parts

upstatetony

Comments: how do you clean out a sun roof drain tube on a 2008 bmw 335i

September 14, 2012

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Locate the top of the drain tube you can access the front ones by opening the sunroof. To get to the rear drains you are going to have to lower the back of the headliner. After you locate the top of the drain you can use compressed air and blow through the drain.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

Gerry

Comments: Hi Wayne, I repaired/refurbed the sunroof as well as replaced the seal on my E34 '89 535i, but I noticed that it had some small pieces on felt and some small plastic caps fitted along the sliding parts. Is it possible to replace these with new ones? Great article, thanks, Gerry.

August 9, 2012

Followup from the Pelican Staff: I think you are referring to the slider. Does this look like the right part?

Comments: Hey Wayne. I've got a 1991 325iS, manual sunroof. I am guessing one of my siblings opened it and closed it wrong, I can tell that the left side is not in the "tracks" and the back right side is lower than the other side. I tried to open again but nothing happened. I was able to open it carefully from the back L side, and one piece that sticks out holding the bottom part is broken. how can I remove and replace?

July 24, 2012

Followup from the Pelican Staff: A slide rail may be broken. Could you share a photo of the broken part so we can see what has failed? I'll be able to help you more then. You will have to remove the sunroof panel to access the rails and guides. The tech article here shows how to remove the panel. - Nick at Pelican Parts

MN

Comments: '05 x5 4.8iS Rearsmaller window is not coming down at all, i am able to tilt it and that is it. To close it I have to manually push L/R latches that are opening and closing this part of window. Upon inspection, I found a small broken piece of plastic probably a piece needed to retract a cable that is driving those 2 latcheshumps! Does Pelican Parts sell a whole cassette w/o glass??? I am not sure what piece is broken nor if I am going to be able to find replacement for it.
Thank You

July 18, 2012

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Hard to say if the repair kit will remedy your problem. I would disassemble enough to find what is broken. Then you will have a better idea of what you repair options are. If just the plastic guides and cables are damaged, the repair kit should get you by. Drop our sales department a call at 1-888-280-7799 and they can help figure out which part or repair kit you need exactly.- Nick at Pelican Parts

BlodoksE36

Comments: Hi Wayne, I had the sunroof rattle on my 95 325is on the passenger side and just replaced all the plastic parts and cleaned/greased-no rattle any more.
My problem is that after putting everything back together it will tilt just fine up & down, but after it starts sliding back to open, it gets jammed on the interior sliding panel after it moves 1-2" back and the motor stalls.
I dropped the roof back ~1/8" to dislodge the interior panel so I could slide it back for access at the start of the job. How do you get the interior panel engaged with the roof again so the roof doesn't jam on it? Pushing it forward at various roof positions doesn't seem to work...
Best Regards,
BlodoksE36

March 31, 2012

Followup from the Pelican Staff: The sunroof shade guides could be damaged, causing it to bind. Remove the sunroof glass. Then inspect the guides.

You will have to remove the glass to resync the shade with the glass anyway. So this will help you even if the guides are in good shape.

With the glass removed, the shade should be in the closed position when installed, (covering the interior).- Nick at Pelican Parts

Crazydog7

Comments: I got water leaking under my back seat and I am having trouble finding the drainage holes in the convertible top compartment. I looked but I didn't see them. can you provide a pic or other info on where I can find them? Thanks.

January 17, 2012

Followup from the Pelican Staff: What year and model car do you have? - Nick at Pelican Parts

Molstero

Comments: I have this E28 1983 mod.
Water continues to come inside the coupe,espesially on the floor in front of backseats.
Have removed all backseats and all interior in the back,and in luggage room. Seems like water arrives from the back of the car through the lowe part of the metal wall behind the back seats. Any idea of where this water comes inside the car?

January 4, 2012

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Water leaks are tough. If you are sure the sunroof drains are working and attached, I would remove the interior trim panels, then run a hose on the outside of the vehicle while monitoring the interior for the leak. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Technologist

Comments: My 2005 BMW x5 roof is leaking causing the driver and passenger floor to be totally saturated. Has anyone encountered this problem? I am been told the drains might be clogged.Where do i find those clogged drain? Please help.

November 27, 2011

Followup from the Pelican Staff: The drains are under the headliner at all four corners of the roof, usually the back drain tube come off and cause problems, they can be accessed by dropping the back of the headliner down a few inches.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

Bruce

Comments: 1992 525i WAGON with a noisy roof that does NOT seem to eager to operate but actually will. I considering buying the wagon with 165,000 miles, but am worried about the sunroof failing. The owner said she had the cloth headliner portion of the rood repaired and then it started making the wierd noise. Her BMW shop said if its working don't fix it because it'll cost a lot. I am not rich at all, could I end up with an open roof that won't close???

November 14, 2011

Followup from the Pelican Staff: you certainly can. If it is noisy, there is an problem. I would have it inspected before buying it. Or buy it and don't use the sunroof.- Nick at Pelican Parts

Gloria

Comments: I had a problem w/2004 BMW 530 I. Fortunately, i have extended warranty. The sunroof started making a thumping noise when closing. eventually. i cdnt close it w/o someone holding down some rubber, I think blocking it. Anyway, BMW decided the whole assembly needed to be changed Cassete. They charged 1,633 inc. 7 hours for labor. Does that sound right?? I thought 2 to 3 hours was the going labor rate. Please advise

November 4, 2011

Followup from the Pelican Staff: It should take about 6-7 hours to replace the sun roof cassette in that cat, that price seams reasonable.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

BMWFan...

Comments: 2003 325I. My sunroof is not closing when I open it up.. I need to push the button all way to the end to work but the thin is I alway forget to close it when I get out of the car.. and I like to use the key but with,the key is not working it start moving but it goes back... there's any way to reset the sunroof... or do you think that is a sensor?.... thanks

October 4, 2011

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Push and hold the sun roof button in the vent position for about 2 min. the roof will move through all of it motions, don't let go of the button until the roof s fully closed. This will initialize the roof and the anti trapping for the roof. If the stops and will not continue at any point there is a problem with the sunroof sticking or binding and the roof might have to be replaced.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

witz

Comments: I have a 2006 mini S. the frame of the sunroof is loose and fell on my head. Anyone know if there are clips that lock the frame in place?
Thanks

October 4, 2011

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Are you talking about the wind deflector? It snaps into place, If it fell out, it maybe broken. - Nick at Pelican Parts

bleu

Comments: I have a 2005 325I. The back floor on the driver side gets soaked when it rains. No problem when I wash it. What causes this? A friend told me it's the sun roof leaking down through the chassis and that there was a recall for this problem in the past. Any suggestions will help. Thank you.

October 4, 2011

Followup from the Pelican Staff: I would remove the door panels first and check the vapor barriers inside the doors and make sure they are not torn and that they are sealed. Leaks from the vapor barrier are very common.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

mary

Comments: We put a deposit on a X3 04 reg. The dealer has now rung and said the sunroof has broke it is a paneramic style. He has offered us £800 off the price. Have you any idea how much it would cost to replace? Apparently it needs a whole new sun roof. At the moment it is closed and water tight, but can not be opened.

September 22, 2011

Followup from the Pelican Staff: I would have them repair it before you buy it, it can be very costly to replace.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

wes

Comments: I need to replace sunroof in my 95 bmw325. Can i get glass replacment sunroof?

September 5, 2011

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Yes, you can buy a preassembled sunroof cassette. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Dustin

Comments: My sunroof is perfectly fine, but the cover panel needs reupholstered. Is there a way to get it out without removing the headliner/entire assembly?

August 25, 2011

Followup from the Pelican Staff: If you remove the glass, you will have access to the screws for the shade guides. Unscrew the guides, then the shade can be removed. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Jenny

Comments: I have a BMW M3 and the headliner panel that covers the sunroof is slid back and I can't get it out. Is there anyway to get it back to the forward position?

July 11, 2011

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Sounds like the guides are broken. You can try to grab it with pliers and pull it forward until you can reach the handle. Be careful not to crush or damage the finish. - Nick at Pelican Parts

BFM

Comments: Hi Wayne,
i have a 04 325. just installed and new sunroof track and it works but in a jabing motion. the one touch option does not work. does it need a re-program?
thanks
BFM

June 16, 2011

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Sounds like the sunroof needs to be initialized, hold the button in the vent position for about 2 min while the roof goes through all of its motions, don't let go until it is closed.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

Pete D.

Comments: Hi Wayne, My son's cursed 1994 325is... Sunroof was worked on by a "foreign car shop" after failing to close in a rainstorm... They replaced the motor which they then said "was not bad"...not sure what else, but never really finished. Long story short, roof works, but only 2 inches per press... can open and close, but takes about 10 presses each direction hope that is clear enough?. Any ideas? Motor not at zero point? I would love to fix this for him along with everything else I have been working on... Thanks, pete.

May 20, 2011

Followup from the Pelican Staff: It could be the initialization. Try this:

Press and hold the button in lift direction.
After sunroof reaches end position, continue to hold button for 20 more seconds.
The sunroof will briefly move upward and back, this signifies it has been initialized.- Nick at Pelican Parts

chip

Comments: I have a 2002 530i, need to replace the cable guides that connect to the bowden cables, can it be done WITHOUT taking out headliner?, thanks, david

I have a 92 325i with a leaking sunroof. Can the seals be replaced without pulling the whole unit out? And is it just the 2 seals that keep the water out or are there other reasons that water can leak in? There is no body damage and everything lines up perfectly. Thanks in advance.

April 24, 2011

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Yes, you can replace the seals with the sunroof installed. With the sunroof fully opened, the seal can be removed and reinstalled. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Jon

Comments: Hi Wayne,
I've got an '87 325e with a manual crank sunroof. I am replacing the crank plastic part broke again, but noticed that the crank simply spins and doesn't open or close the roof. Any suggestions?

March 31, 2011

Followup from the Pelican Staff: If the plastic gears keep breaking, then it's a sign that there is dirt or debris in the roof causing it to become clogged and require more force to open. When this happens, cables can snap, and gears can break, etc. I suspect that is what has happened in your case. I would suggest tearing the whole thing apart and cleaning it out very carefully. This will reduce friction and should keep the gears from breaking in the future. Hopefully a cable has not snapped at this time. - Wayne at Pelican Parts

hank

Comments: how do you replace edge beading seal on 87 535 sun roof

March 31, 2011

Followup from the Pelican Staff: I haven't done this one myself personally, but I think it's simply glued in place. - Wayne at Pelican Parts

ab

Comments: Hey my sunroof in 96 bmw e36 when i open all way, it wont close. i have to used them to manually crank tool, to move just an inch sunroof and after that it will close ? if dot go all way to end is ok it works fine, but if open all way it won’t close , I have to do the something over again manually . so plz. Need some help?

March 29, 2011

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Not sure about this one, sounds like the roof is getting stuck, perhaps due to dirt and debris being in there? Might do for a good cleaning of the rails and the mechanism. In addition, the motor may be aging and may not be able to overcome the friction due to the dirt in there. - Wayne at Pelican Parts

hfsk

Comments: hi i pulled my emergency lever by mistake so my electric roof it not working so what can i do to put it back in working conditoin

February 23, 2011

Followup from the Pelican Staff: There's a special factory adjustment procedure that needs to be done to reattach and realign the cables once they are disconnected. Unfortunately, I don't have a copy of this, but several people have asked. I'll copy this question to the support forums to see if anyone has a link to where this might be posted on the Internet. - Wayne at Pelican Parts

xxedds

Comments: I am wondering if the part in figure 4 labeled part C is available for the LSH and if the narrow strip of plastic that is the draft diverter that clips across the part labeled A on both sides

February 4, 2011

Followup from the Pelican Staff: The sunroof parts should all be available separately (last time I checked). If you're looking for a specific part on your sunroof, I would suggest that you contact our sales dept, and they can look it up for you based upon your car's VIN. - Wayne at Pelican Parts

skippy

Comments: Hi Wayne bloody computer crashed, I have a 1995 California compact e36. It has a full fabric sun roof see photo. The other day when closing the sunroof the motor made a loud Grrr noise so I pulled the Rockwell motor out and it had sheered a plastick gear, This seems to have been caused by a dry rail system which seems to have a lot of friction. I have tried wd40 but it seems seized. Do you have a suroof refurb kit for this model? E36 compact, is the motor gear available, or do you have an idea if it can be rebuilt replaced.The motor drives two cables that sit either side of the motor gear. Can the whole thing be taken out? Any info would be appreciated, ironically 2 weeks before this I ordered your projects book as I have a 325 convertible as well. Love BMWs just hate the expensive complicated bits that go wrong. Regards Skippy

February 4, 2011

Followup from the Pelican Staff: I'm not sure if these cars were ever imported to the US - I know that I don't think I have seen one with this type of roof in person (and SoCal would be a good place to have one of these "ragtops"). That said, you can typically buy all the replacement parts you need, and our sales guys can help you find them, even for non-US cars. The bad news is that little plastic gears like that are often not available separately, and you typically have to purchase a new (or used) motor assembly and/or motor transmission. - Wayne at Pelican Parts

sikllywabit

Comments: How do I check to see if I am getting power to the sunroof switch. Can I pop the switch off somehow without removeing the cassette?

January 28, 2011

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Sure, you should be able to pop the switch off. However, the switch controls the relays that control the roof, so you might want to check the relays first before messing with the switch itself. Some of the relays are the same, so you can swap them from a working component to see if the problem is with the relay itself. - Wayne at Pelican Parts

ncsixer85

Comments: I have a 85 e24 with a sunroof motor that works but there is a clicking noise and the roof does not move. I can move it manually. Checked motor and gear works. I check cables and can't see anything but I think it is a cable problem nonetheless. To fix this will i have to remove the headliner? Can cables be purchased separately? What is your assessment based on what I have provided? Thanks

January 24, 2011

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Although I haven't taken this particular roof apart, I think I have an idea of what may be broken. In your roof mechanism, I believe there is a transmission that connects the motor to the sunroof cables. Often these transmission units have small plastic gears in them that get brittle and break over the years. I'm betting that one of these gears is busted in the transmission and needs to be replaced. Unfortunately, most of the time, the entire sunroof motor/cable transmission needs to be replaced as you cannot purchase the gear separately. As for getting this out without removing the headliner, I think it's possible, but I'm not 100% sure. - Wayne at Pelican Parts

Rachel

Comments: I have a 2008 mini when im driving the sunroof has a lot of air noise is this normal for this car. even if you have the music playing you still can hear it. Thank you

January 12, 2011

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Nope, that's not typical. You probably have a roof seal that has come loose or gone missing. Open the roof and inspect the seals around it to make sure they are in place and secure. To double-check, close the roof and then seal the whole thing with some electrical tape. Then compare the noise. You can then remove portions of the tape and go for a drive until you find the exact spot where it's no longer sealing properly. - Wayne at Pelican Parts

Sello

Comments: Hello,

I want buy a second hand working sunroof for my e34. Will one of the glass new ones work well, how much

January 6, 2011

Followup from the Pelican Staff: If the glass model is made for your vehicle, then it should work. Give our parts specialists a call at 1-888-280-7799. They can help you find the right part and the cost. - Nick at Pelican Parts

bruce

Comments: i have a mini one 1997 with a panaramic sunroof.used about 3 to 4 times it will not close properly thus i have to use allan key. on bmw inspection they said the cables must be slightly seized. thus a new roof which they would pay but left me with labour £500 which i refuse blankly. would appreciate your comments. bruce

December 27, 2010

Followup from the Pelican Staff: I don't think that roof was ever sold here in the US, so I can't say I've ever seen one! I will copy your question to the forums though, and perhaps someone there can offer some assistance. - Wayne at Pelican Parts

carl

Comments: my 2003 325i sunroof wont close it goes about 1/3 of the way and then stops is there any way i can close it manually..

December 25, 2010

Followup from the Pelican Staff: There should be a small panel near the sunroof that you can pry off and use the emergency crank (should be in the toolkit of the car) to manually crank the sunroof closed. I believe this information is also documented in the owner's manual. - Wayne at Pelican Parts

Matt

Comments: The left rear passenger floor gets very wet after a big downpour in my 2002 325iT. I assume it must be the sunroof since the door jam is dry. Headliner and pillar are also dry. Where are drainage tubers? Can I clean them from below?
Thanks

December 7, 2010

Followup from the Pelican Staff: It's usually not the sunroof in these cases, but it may be. I have usually seen problems like these come from the front cowl area under the rear of the hood. The sunroof should seal with the top of the roof and rain should simply slide off. I would rinse the car down in specific areas (like the sunroof) and then check to see if the car gets wet - isolate the problem, and then you can find the source. - Wayne at Pelican Parts

Nick

Comments: Hi Wayne, can you help with some advice on a problem I have with my 2004 525 sedan roof which opens and closes OK but does not open up. The sound it makes when I try to open up sounds like it's working but it sits in the closed position. Thanks for advice in advance.

November 17, 2010

Followup from the Pelican Staff: You just need to dig in there and take a look. I'm sure that there is a gear or something that is stripped or non-functional. I haven't taken apart my 5-Series sunroof, so I don't know for sure, but there are lots of moving parts in there that can break. you really need to just start removing stuff and looking in there with a flashlight. Usually it will be obvious what is broken when you can see and try opening the roof when there are less parts in the way. - Wayne at Pelican Parts

will

Comments: my 95 325i sunroof got stuck open in the rain i closed it with the tool bmw gives u...now it only opens to vent what can i do

November 9, 2010

Followup from the Pelican Staff: You just need to start taking it apart to see what is broken. Follow the instructions in the article for some help on this. - Wayne at Pelican Parts

Bailey

Comments: I have a new "used" E28 M5. The zero setting on the sunroof does not seem to be correct. When closing the sunroof it will continue past the closed position and pop up the rear without stopping. Can this be adjusted without disassembly? Thanks.

October 27, 2010

Followup from the Pelican Staff: It could be the initialization. Try this:

Press and hold the button in lift direction.
After sunroof reaches end position, continue to hold button for 20 more seconds.
The sunroof will briefly move upward and back, this signifies it has been initialized.- Nick at Pelican Parts

Mulepick

Comments: I've got the parts to solve the problem as shown in photo C above on my 03 530i but I don't see how to get the bad parts out metal arm w/slides and the new ones in. Surely I don't have to remove the whole sunroof?

September 29, 2010

Followup from the Pelican Staff: You have to pop the wind deflector out of the sunroof. Then remove the two stops at the front of the sunroof rails, they have Torx fasteners, I think T25 or T27. Been a while since I had one out. Once the stops are out, you can slide the lifting arm out the front of the sunroof track. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Chris

Comments: We have a 2001 525i wagon - the sunroof headliner needs to be replaced - can you explain as easily as possible how to do this. Thanks

September 26, 2010

Followup from the Pelican Staff: I believe that the procedure is very similar to the one shown in this article - the headliner is one piece and needs to be replaced in a section. - Wayne at Pelican Parts

Split Pin

Comments: Hi,
I have a 2006 525d Estate with a 2 part glass sunroof which works fine. The problem is that the car recently has a REALLY bad leak from the rear section of the sunroof. Is it likely to be a straight forward thing to fix? and do you know if this is a common problem?
Thanks SP.

September 11, 2010

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Sounds like a seal has gone bad. Unfortunately, I haven't tackled this job yet, so I'm not really sure how difficult it would be. Typically, replacement of these seals is not too tough of a task. - Wayne at Pelican Parts

JIM 525I

Comments: HI - I HAVE A 2003 525I SEDAN - THE SUNROOF GLASS WILL OPEN AND CLOSE FINE - WHEN YOU TRY TO OPEN UP JUST THE BACK - THE MOTOR RUNS AND YOU SEE THE GLASS START TO OPEN BUT DOES NOT - YOU CAN PUSH THE BACK UP BUT IT WONT STAY UP - I BELIEVE THE LINKAGE CAME OFF OR IS BROKEN - HOW DO I REMOVE JUST THE GLASS TO INSPECT - LOOKS LIKE 2 TORK HEAD SCREWS ON BOTH SIDES -

August 26, 2010

Followup from the Pelican Staff: There are three torx screws on each side.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

BMW316i E3088

Comments: Hi Wayne. I hope that you can help me. I need to replace the manual set drive of my sunroof. The car is BMW316i E30 1988, the handle is pending down. I got a new one but one time the plastic cover was removed and I am going to unscrew the two screws holding the manual set drive the scrws became tigh and they no come out. At this point I had stop the action because I don't want cause damage to the sunroof. Any suggestion? Is there any technical bulletin from BMW? If yes where is possible found. Thanks a lot.

August 21, 2010

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Hmm, I don't think I have enough information yet. I would suggest that you post this in our forums and ask there, and then we can all comment on it (post some photos too). - Wayne at Pelican Parts

Killer Miller

Comments: Hello Wayne . I have an '04 X5 that has the "panoramic" sunroof in it and the right rear corner will not completey close ! It stays tilted up slightly on the rear corner and I have to place a towel in the opening to keep rain water out of the vehicle . I took it to the local BMW dealer and they told me the whole sunroof "cassette" needed to be replaced at a cost to me of $4764.67 + tax !! Does this sound right ? Looks like there would be a way to repair this problem without trashing the whole sunroof and having to buy and install a new one !! I spent $5400.00 on this vehicle in January of this year fixing a water leak that occured in the roof where the side body joins and shorted out the stereo and teletronics amps !! Isn't there some easier & cheaper way of repairing this sunroof problem on this vehicle ? I like the vehicle but I can't afford too many more repairs like his !! Please let me know what can be done ! Thank you for your help and expert advice !!

August 20, 2010

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Dealers are really bad mechanics - all they do is swap out parts. They make money by selling you a new $5000 roof assembly, on top of labor charges. You need to find a good independent mechanic who will tackle this job and work on it to adjust / fix the roof properly. I don't think this roof option was too popular, so I think you'll have to find someone adventurous who will be willing to take it on and learn along the way. If you're in the Los Angeles area, try the guys at Callas Rennsport, 310-370-7038 - Wayne at Pelican Parts

CW

Comments: There may be an alternative for those with E36s looking to remove only the top metal sunroof panel to gain access and remove the sunroof headliner panel. Why wouldn't the following work: use the tilt function to pop up the back of the sunroof, remove the two torx bolts securing the front of the metal panel to the frame from inside the car, and even those there's minimal clearance use a small ratchet or open/closed end wrench to remove the three rear bolts from the top of the roof?

I suggest that alternative since I noticed the same issue as Sideways did with my '98 M3: the sunroof headliner panel will not push back as described.

August 3, 2010

Followup from the Pelican Staff: That might work - at this point, you're just trying to gain access any way how. - Wayne at Pelican Parts

sideways

Comments: My sunroof panel won't pull back after briefly hitting the switch as described. Could it be because my E36 M3 is a 97? I have heard that this only works on pre-96 models. If so, what can I do?

July 31, 2010

Followup from the Pelican Staff: I'm not sure - it might be that this feature was disabled for some type of anti-head-chopping reason. - Wayne at Pelican Parts

Pottsy

Comments: g'day Wayne. i have a 1991 e36 320i sedan. the sunroof will open and close but when it gets to the last 20cm to close fully it won't. Have you heard of this type of prob and if so could you suggest what may be causing this. The white around the edges is masking tape residue lol:- Trying to stop water getting in. Did not work to well, bummer

July 15, 2010

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Sorry, you just have to dive in there and see what is clogging the works - it's different on just about every other sunroof. - Wayne at Pelican Parts

gold brick

Comments: Hi, I have a whistleing sound when I drive with the sunroof in the vent position 328i. Dealer wants to replace the entire cassette. Does this sound right?

June 29, 2010

Followup from the Pelican Staff: Nope, sounds like a lazy dealer wanting to spend a lot of someone's money (yours or BMW's if the car is still under warranty). It's probably a loose seal somewhere in the roof. - Wayne at Pelican Parts

Colton

Comments: What do you do if your sunroof is jammed?

June 14, 2010

Followup from the Pelican Staff: That's a tough one - I had a jammed sunroof for this article. You just need to get in there with a long screwdriver, and go back and forth and try to free it up. You can also remove the headliner and access the internals that way too. - Wayne at Pelican Parts

VirtualTiffany

Comments: I have the same problem as Hal...my outer metal sunroof is opening and closing fine, but the inner fabric one is somehow disconnected from the metal one and won't move with it. I have a 1994 525i...any suggestions on how to easily put them back together?

April 20, 2010

Followup from the Pelican Staff: The interior sunroof cover may have broken away from the sunroof top. I would remove the top and inspect the cover attaching points. Then order what you need to repair it. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Hal

Comments: Good article, but it doesn't seem to address my issue. The outer panelmetal operates properly but the inner headliner panelfabric covered does not close properly when the out panel closes. I may be missing something because it doesn't appear that the lifting blocks or lever assemblies have anything to do with closing the inner panel. I have been able to manually pull it forward so it is 90% closed. But that is as far as it will go. Suggestions?? I could order the levers and lifting blocks and take the outer panel off I guess....but not sure that is the way to go. I have them in my "Project list"

March 24, 2010

Followup from the Pelican Staff: The interior sunroof cover may have broken away from the sunroof top. I would remove the top and inspect the cover attaching points. Then order what you need to repair it. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Alan

Comments: I have a 1995 318i. The fabric on the sunroof headliner piece needs repair. Is it possible to remove this piece without removing the sunroof cassette?

February 17, 2010

Followup from the Pelican Staff: You can get it out, check out our tech page for pictures and instructions.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

Jat007

Comments: Greetings,
I have a 1992 BMW 325i e36 sedan that has this water leak down from the driver side pillar and runs down to the floor. I checked and clean out the drain holes and checked the drain hose behind the driver side pillar and see no damages to the hose. Have you seen this before and where do I go from here??

Please help!!

Thank you in advance.

Jat

January 21, 2010

Followup from the Pelican Staff: If the drain hoses are ok, I would take a look and the windshield seal.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

Anthony

Comments: I must congratulate you in this most useful guide.

Is the there a known fault with BMW X3 sunroofs. They appear to have a logic of their own when opening and closing. The most recent cold weather has resulted in the sun-roof now not closing on one side. i have taken the car to a BMW service garage who tell me that the whole cassette needs to be changes and this could cost close to £3,000. The insurtance compnay tells me that this is not covered by the insurance company as it is due to wear and tear. what should/can I do?

I have got a 2005/6 re

January 21, 2010

Followup from the Pelican Staff: There are a lot of moving parts in the X3 sunroof, and some of the smaller plastic parts break and damage the rest of the roof. These problems are not uncommon.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

Mike

Comments: Hi,
I've got a 1993 325si 2 dr coupe with a basically operational sunroof except that is won't quite close all the way and cosmetically it looks terrible. I can close it if I manually push down on the "wing flap" that runs all along the front of the sunroof so that it can pass over this "flap". Is there an easy fix for this? Also, the lowest interior cover panel no longer has a liner over it minimal residual foam over metal. Can this be relined without removing the entire sunroof? Do I need to install a handle of any kind towards the front of this panel? I don't see any screw holes for a previous handle and it's not a manual sunroof. Once or twice it retracted into the roof when I opened the sunroof and the sliding panel was hard to get out. Any advice appreciated. Just trying hard to avoid taking the whole thing out. Most important issue is the cosmetic one.

November 13, 2009

Followup from the Pelican Staff: It sounds like you are going to have to remove the cassette, check out our tech page for pictures and instructions.
- Nick at Pelican Parts

SAS

Comments: Wayne thanks for all the help so far, I replaced both the lifters for the tail.

My next question is both side have 2 sets of metal gearing that make the sunroof slide back and forth, the left side only one of them work im guessing this is why it wont make the tail go up. We tried some silicon grease to loosen it but did not work.

Any help would be welcomed. I hope you understood.

Thanks S.

October 17, 2009

Followup from the Pelican Staff: You just need to trace it back, it's a relatively simple system. One of the catches for the cables must be loose or broken for that one side? - Wayne at Pelican Parts

SAS

Comments: Hi Wayne. Can you tell me if i only need one or two parts for this repair? It works fine open and close but once its closed drivers side tilts down and when u raise the tail it wont go up.

September 22, 2009

Followup from the Pelican Staff: I'm not sure - you need to take a close look in there and see if you can find anything that is broken in there. Every sunroof is slightly different when it comes to what in particular is broken. - Wayne at Pelican Parts